The rapid spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of coronavirus has been driving the surge in infections worldwide, with India and the United States being the major contributors. The highest number of new Covid-19 cases in that week was reported from the United States, followed by India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Iran. Among these five nations, Iran has been witnessing a continued surge, with the Islamic Republic recording nearly 41,000 fresh infections on Monday. The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases reported globally exceeded the sombre milestone of 200 million last week. While the Alpha variant of coronavirus, first identified in England, has spread to 182 countries, the Delta variant has caused more concerns to authorities given its high transmissibility.

Source: Hindustan Times August 10, 2021 10:30 UTC